There has never been areality program as subversive asThe Boulet Brothers' Dragula. Originally aYouTubeseries, this Shudder hit focuses on the grungiest, most monstrous aspects of Drag, with each season seeing a new group of ‘Drag Monsters’ go through intense challenges for a cash prize and the title of “World’s Next Drag Supermonster”. Its mission was to elevate aspects ofLGBTQ+ culture that aren’t often discussed and the communities that shirk societal acceptability in favor of true authenticity. This created an astounding show that has offered audiences some of the most shocking scenes of reality television…well, it used to. Because even though it began as a punk rock program wherecontestants were willing to do whatever it took to win,Dragulahas softened over the years.
It has become shockingly similar to the other Drag shows it once stood in opposition to. This last episode illustrated that perfectly, with the contestants and the show itself refusing to act in a way that wouldn’t be acceptable to the cameras. This is unfortunate enough on its own, but then the series' editing did something worse: it tempted the viewers into thinking the old ways were back,before shocking them with the most predictable ending in this franchise’s history.
‘Dragula’ Can Turn the Gorgeous Gory
On its surface, a musical performance challenge is a perfect fit for Dragula. It may remind fans of the similar challenges onRuPaul’s Drag Racethat see the Queens don a campy costume and lip-sync to a musical-themed tune, butDragulahas become known for taking any kind of idea and twisting it to glorious heights. It excited watchers as the episode saw the remaining eight competitors split into teams and get ready to take on a disgustingly melodic tune…before the performance commenced. All the viewers then saw was your typical singing and some questionable choreography. This strange challenge was a far cry from the exceptional performances that have filledDragulalike its infamous ‘Monster of Rock’, though its twist could’ve easily been its saving grace.The winners would select which of the other two losing team members would be up for extermination.
This offered a riveting scene for viewers, as the winnersAsia Consent,Pi,Jaharia, andAurora Gozmicseemed eager to use this ability to their strategic advantage. They (apparently) decided quickly that they wouldn’t actually pick who’d done worst in the challenge but would instead choose who’d been dominating the competition and could potentially win:Auntie HeroineandGrey Matter.It was an amazing reminder of earlier seasons when Queens embodied the show’s grit, recognizing that if they actually wanted that $100,000 prize, they’d have to play a little dirty.
‘Dragula’ is (Sadly) Much Nicer Now
If only that’d actually happened. Despite many minutes of screentime being spent on how wickedly cool this shocking decision would be, the winners instead picked Auntie to go againstVivvi the Force, the person who’d done worse in the musical and whom they all agreed would absolutely go home in this matchup.The winners cited some sense of integrity, and that’s respectable, but that doesn’t deny how much the series undercut its own by teasing audiences in this way.Dragulahas made a reputation for delicious cruelty by playfully terrorizing its competitors and fans, making a kind of viewing experience that truly matches the subversive ideals of its beginning. These moments when the Monsters discussed actually fighting with everything they had to win were absolutely thrilling —and the bait-and-switch of editing highlight even more how much the series has lost the brutality it once embodied. This lackluster ending makes it clear that if the show didn’t want to make it clear just how much it isn’t the grungy masterpiece it once was, it definitely shouldn’t have teased fans with what could’ve been its most shocking elimination ever.
WhileDragulahas certainly changed in its many years on the air, the show hasn’t lost its hard edges completely. These competitors are still put through utterly disgusting challenges like being stabbed with needles and having to eat disgusting foods, mainstays of the franchise that show its commitment to all things disgusting. And each season’s cast has never failed to pull out some of the most horrifically amazing pieces of Drag that watchers have ever seen. There’s so much still fantastic about the series,but this shifty editing only spotlighted all its has lost through this evolution.It got viewers' hopes up that they’d finally be getting back what was lost and harshly made them aware of the fact that they’d most likely never get it again — and then it ended in a lip sync for your life, a trademark of the very franchise thatDragulapromotes itself as the opposite of.There’s still so much greatness withinDragula, but through its attempts to get audiences excited, it only made them realize how different the show has become.Dragulais available to Stream on Shudder in the U.S.
The Boulet Brothers' Dragula
The Boulet Brothers' Dragula is a reality competition series that debuted in 2016. It follows drag performers as they compete in a series of challenges designed to test their skills in horror, glamor, and filth under the scrutiny of the Boulet Brothers. Contestants are eliminated based on their performance, with the ultimate goal of being crowned the World’s Next Drag Supermonster.
